PressFreedom: A Short Film

Abstract

A psychological thriller, the short film revolves around the main character Abbas Haider, who pays the ultimate price for speaking up against the convoluted laws imposed by a fanatic religious regime. Our film starts with Abbas rushing to get his incendiary article published. The article is about a Zinna case under the Hudood Ordinance, in which a blind woman was gang-raped and upon reporting the crime, she (the victim) was taken in to custody instead of the assailants. This had become a norm for rape victims all over Pakistan in the 80’s, what set this case apart was the twisted precedent as well as the personal connection Abbas had with the victim, Mansoora Bibi. She was the elder sister of his best friend Rashid, they grew up together and she was very fond of the kids as they were of her. Abbas set out to get the article past the censorship officer, who actually exercises control under the position of “Information Officer”, his collegue tried to warn him of the consequences, but Abbas paid no heed and set out to dupe the officer. Having succeeded in getting the story printed, Abbas decided to organize a protest with Rashid in collaboration with the Women’s Action Forum. He went door to door, inviting those who were sympathetic to the cause. The protest however was cut short due to a police raid. The crowd dispersed but Abbas was arrested along with a few others. At the police station, Abbas, thoroughly roughed up, was handed over to agents who had sinister plans for him. He was transported to the Shahi Qilla in Lahore, held captive in the dungeons and tortured. Eventually the agents drop his seemingly broken, unconscious body off at a deserted area.